1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a production facility adaptive for a man-machine cooperation, and particularly, it relates to a production facility with an automatic movable body for a man-machine cooperation.
Moreover, the invention relates to a transfer assist arm device with a restricted motion range.
Further, the invention relates to a power-aided transfer assist arm device.
Still more, the invention relates to a transfer assist arm device with a work positioning function.
Yet more, the invention relates to a positioning assist arm device mounted on a follower.
The invention further relates to a positioning assist arm device with a relaxed clearance.
2. Description of Relevant Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional automatic production facility built as a factory F0 in a local installation site P0. The factory F0 has a parabolic antenna f0 standing on the rooftop.
As shown in FIG. 2, the factory F0 has a management section F01 communicating with an unshown main office via the antenna f0, a labor section F02 such as for research, development, design and engineering, a man-machine section F03 such as for operation and maintenance, and an automatic machine section F04 controlled from the man-machine section F03, such as for material control, work transfer and article production.
The automatic machine section F04 includes a movable robot R0 with an interference region R01 enclosed by a safety fence C01. The interference region R01 has an entrance door whose open-close action is responsive to a command from a robot controller C02 provided with operation switches C03 in the man-machine section F03.
The fence C01, controller C02 and switches C03 constitute a safety control system C0 for protecting the robot R0 from undesirable interferences. For entry into the interference region R01, some switches C03 must be operated to interrupt a robot action and open the fence entrance door, which door must be closed to restart the robot action.
The robot R0 is sophisticated, exercising a complete sequence of full automatic handling actions such as for work transfer and positioning with a tight tolerance of e.g. .+-.0.05 mm, as well as for a fabrication that sometimes needs a higher accuracy.
The cost of installing and maintaining such production facility F0 is very high.
To reduce the cost, the complete sequence of full automatic actions had a portion thereof substituted by competent worker actions.
However, such substitution constituted an obstacle to a harmonized progress of work, resulting in reduced production efficiency.
Still worse, the worker actions included troublesome door open-close operations,, causing more reduced production efficiency.